It Was Always You
by Yondaime Namikaze
Summary: [Series of 5 interconnected one-shots; NO HTTYD 2 SPOILERS] Hiccup's reflections on Astrid during various milestones of their relationship. FIRST STORY: "It Was Always You...My Girlfriend". CURRENT STORY: "It Was Always You...The Mother of My Heir". NEXT/FINAL STORY: "It Was Always You...My Eternity".
1. My Girlfriend

**Another new Hiccstrid story from yours truly? Yeah, sure, why not? No spoilers this time. The canon of this story will differ and I'm pretty certain that I'm going to disregard HTTYD 2. This time. There will be five chapters total in this story. I hope that you enjoy. … For some reason, I can't even remember where this idea came from. It just…showed up one day and the plot sounded good.**

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It Was Always You  
The First Realization

The cove was beautiful this afternoon. It was on days such as this that Hiccup liked to just fly out of the village for some moments of alone time with Toothless. Sure he was glad that the village now accepted him as a worthy Viking and heir, but it had been almost a year now since the defeat of the gigantic dragon queen. The boy had figured that everyone would finally stop swarming him as he walked through the village. Unfortunately, though, it seemed that he, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, former reject and disgrace of Berk, had risen to the status of "Resident Dragon Expert" seemingly overnight. Must have happened during that strange sleep, the one he had fallen into after falling from Toothless's back and into a fiery pit of rising flames; for when he had awoken, Hiccup's eyes had fallen upon an entirely new world, one where Vikings and dragons lived side-by-side. It had been quite the shock; that was for sure!

It had taken forever to leave the village this morning. Everywhere Hiccup looked, he was surrounded by yet another of his fellow tribe members asking for advice or directing him a question about their dragon's behavior that morning. Hiccup tried to assist everyone. Really, he did, but it wasn't as easy as everyone all thought. Hiccup really did not want to let anyone down, but he still did not have all the answers about dragons. For the most part, a dragon does what it wants to do. There was no real rhyme or reason to their actions. Yet, the boy always felt bad telling them that he could not answer their particular question; it made him feel like that first Snoggletog after the end of the 300-year dragon war all over again. So, Hiccup made up some answers and took to the skies on Toothless as quickly as he possibly could.

That was how he had arrived here in his favorite cove. Hiccup currently sat with his back against a rock as he stared at the relatively-still pond. Toothless, nearby, was occupying himself with chasing a low-flying butterfly and Hiccup had decided to draw out the scene playing in front of him. The picture in his sketchbook was nearly complete when he heard another dragon touch down nearby. He did not have to look up to know that it was Stormfly; she was the only dragon that walked on two feet instead of four. Hiccup was about to shut his sketchbook as Astrid stepped down from her Nadder and walked over to take a seat beside Hiccup, but he thought better of it when he noticed Toothless had lost interest in the butterfly and was now playing with Stormfly. The two dragons had taken a liking to each other as their riders had grown closer. Hiccup passed his sketchbook over to Astrid to show her his nearly-finished drawing.

"Toothless was chasing a butterfly…and I missed it? I missed seeing the feared Night Fury playing around with a flying insect!" she laughed, turning back to where the two dragons were now located.

"Ah, you didn't miss all that much," Hiccup also laughed. "Toothless plays with everything, it seems. Did I ever tell you how he would chase the light reflection from the metal on one of my hammers?" When Astrid shook her head, Hiccup relayed the story to her. "…and that's how I knew that I could return the Terror in the ring to its cage by directing the reflection from my shield."

"I remember that!" Astrid replied. "You nearly blinded me with the light from that shield."

"Sorry," Hiccup apologized quickly. "I was trying to direct the light to the ground and I had a bit of a hard time getting it there." As he finished talking, Hiccup realized that he had been talking rather fast. Even though Astrid was his best friend and they'd hung out alone together often in the months since the end of the dragon war, he still felt a bit nervous around her, as if he would say the wrong thing and the whole illusion would come crashing down. He didn't know why he was always so worried, though; he knew that Astrid would always have his back…and he would always have hers.

All was silent and calm. These were the types of days that Hiccup enjoyed most; he'd never been a fan of the bitter cold that seemed to always attack Berk. The boy stared out at the pond. "I love you."

The words had been spoken not above a whisper, but Astrid was close enough to Hiccup to hear what he had just said. "Hiccup?" she asked, turning to face him. Usually, the boy did not speak how he felt; in the time that she had known him, he had mostly kept his feelings bottled up inside of himself.

When Hiccup heard the girl beside him say his name, he knew immediately what had just happened and he immediately began to make excuse after excuse for what he had just said. "Did I just say that out loud? I mean…I really meant to say "I lov-."

"Did you mean what you just said?" Astrid asked, waiting eagerly to hear his answer…and hoping it was the answer she desperately wanted him to say.

Hiccup hesitated, but he knew there was no getting out of this. Even if he made a break for it and was able to escape to the skies on Toothless (which was unlikely as Astrid still had two good legs and would surely tackle him; he still wasn't fully used to walking—let alone, running—with his prosthetic), Astrid would surely follow him and force the answer from it. "Yes," he answered softly finally, "I meant it…and I can't imagine saying those three words to any other girl on Berk or in any of the surrounding islands."

Astrid remained silent even after Hiccup had finished speaking and he figured that he had messed everything up again. He never seemed to know the right words to speak and when to say those words. He was just about to get up and make some feeble excuse to leave the cove when she finally spoke. "You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words from you, Hiccup."

The boy could not believe what he had just heard. He turned quickly, shifting his gaze from the pond to Astrid. "You mean…?"

"Yes!" she replied, delivering a swift punch to his shoulder, "I love you too!"

"So…does this mean that you're my girlfriend now?" he asked. _**Yeah…because that didn't sound awkward enough. Typical Hiccup! Can't you ever just speak normally to Astrid?**_

Luckily, she just gave him a small laugh in reply and told him, "If that's what you'd like, I guess."

Smiling, Hiccup replied, "Yes! Very much so."

"Very well, then," Astrid told him back, "and that makes you my boyfriend. I never thought I'd ever say those words…especially to you."

Together, they laughed, enjoying each other's company. Then, as if by instinct, Hiccup shifted closer to Astrid and wrapped his left arm around her, drawing her closer to him. No words were shared and none were needed; they simply enjoyed the other's company. The longer they sat together, the more Hiccup noticed how he couldn't seem to wipe the smile from his face. This was how he'd always dreamed…well, hoped that it could be—him and Astrid together in this picturesque setting. It felt too surreal, but this was life and he couldn't be happier. "It was always you, Astrid. You know that, right?" he whispered to her.

He could see that she was a bit confused by his words and when she asked what he meant, Hiccup was confident in his answer. "I always knew you would be my girlfriend someday. I don't know how, but I could just feel that it would happen. Then, after that romantic flight—well, that's what I like to call it anyway—with Toothless, the possibility still to grow as we became friends. There's no one else I could ever imagine saying all this to now, Astrid. It was always you."

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**I'm sorry if some parts toward the ending are rushed or just generally not good. I wrote the ending scenes while waiting for a phone call…and I have telephobia, so that made me all jittery and nervous and…such. I know…TMI…more than you ever wanted to know about your author! Well, by the time I finished, I made it through the phone call…and I'm still alive, so…yay!**

**Gods, the confession scene was so hard to write. I wrote it three different ways and finally arrived at this. The first time, Astrid was OOC and the second time, Hiccup was OOC. Now, I feel they're IC. I saved the other scenes, though, because I plan to write a HTTYD Outtakes and Extras stories for these moments (I have a few more from my other stories).**

**Coming Up Next: "The Second Realization"—"It Was Always You…The Leader Of This Relationship."**

**Posted: July 8, 2014**


	2. The Leader of This Relationship

**Guess this story is next on my updating rotation. Ah…yeah, nothing to say, so I'll just move it along to this next oneshot in the love lives of Hiccup and Astrid. **

**Oh, actually, I do have one thing. The canon of this story is going to differ a little from that of the movies and TV show. It's not all that much. Just a bit. Enjoy!**

**Review Reply (only one this time…):**

_**lorde (anonymous)**_**: Yes! Everyone needs more Hiccstrid in their lives! I know that I do.**

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It Was Always You  
The Second Realization

Hiccup had never known Astrid to be the jealous type. Well, actually, he probably should have guessed that she would be. Back when they were both in dragon training, when he had unintentionally found his way to the top of their class, she had been so angry with him. He knew now that her anger stemmed from jealously and envy…and perhaps desperation as well. Were those the emotions she was feeling now?

A few days ago, Snotlout had found a girl who had become shipwrecked on one of Berk's few beaches. Anytime something new comes to the island, Berkians automatically become intrigued by it…even if it was not all that interesting. Hiccup usually did not concern himself with new things, but girl was different. Scared at first, she finally opened up to Hiccup enough to tell him and the rest of his friends that her name was Heather and that she had been attacked by pirates, leaving her shipwrecked and stranded. Always the kind person, Hiccup had offered her a place to stay with reassurance that the villagers were friendly and that his father, Berk's Chief, would help her out with whatever she needed. At the time, Hiccup had never expected that his kindness would create a rift in his blossoming relationship with Astrid.

Astrid had always been skeptical of new situations; it was just part of her nature. Hiccup knew that too. He remembered how stiff she had felt sitting behind them when they first flew on Toothless together. As the ride continued, though, she had relaxed when she realized that Hiccup's beloved Night Fury was not the threat she had originally thought him to be.

Hiccup saw much of the same behavior from before in Astrid's actions and words as Heather joined them at the Academy. The girl had told Hiccup one night that dragons were not friendly on her home island and the head dragon trainer/rider had offered to teach her some of his techniques for her to use when she returned home. Apparently, Astrid had felt threatened by Heather's inclusion because the Berk shieldmaiden pulled him aside one afternoon after the conclusion of dragon training. That was the day when everything really fell apart between the two young lovers.

"Hiccup, we don't even know who Heather is. She could be working for the Outcasts for all we know. We should not be telling her everything that we've learned about dragons until we know for certain that she is who she says that she is and that we can trust her."

"Astrid, it's fine," Hiccup replied. "Heather's been pretty open about herself since she arrived on Berk. I trust her. She is definitely not working for the Outcasts."

Still Astrid was skeptical. "How can you be so sure? Something's not right here. Think about it. When was the last time someone crashed onto Berk shores?" Hiccup hesitated and that was enough proof for Astrid. "Exactly. You can't even remember. There's more to all of this, something that Heather's not telling us."

"Astrid, you're being unreasonable. Just give Heather a chance…" Hiccup began but Astrid cut him off before he could continue.

"I did give her a chance. She's been acting suspiciously since we found her!"

"Astrid…"

"No, Hiccup."

Hiccup knew that his girlfriend did not want to hear his words. He sighed, giving in. "Fine. This conversation is over."

"Oh that's not the only thing that's over," Astrid told him before brushing past him to walk out of the arena.

Before Astrid could walk much further away, Hiccup stopped her by gripping his left hand onto her right shoulder armor. "What do you mean by that?"

Turning back to face the boy, Astrid replied, "I think you know exactly what it means, Hiccup." Her voice was strict, but lacked emotion. It was clear that Astrid really did not want to say these words to the head dragon trainer, but she continued regardless. "A courtship is based on love and trust. There's plenty of love, but I'm not feeling the trust…not anymore."

Hiccup was stunned that Astrid could feel this way. His hand slipped from her shoulder and he made no further move to stop her; he just watched her walk away from him. From them.

888

As it had turned out, Astrid had been right again; that was usually the case. Hiccup should've suspected that Heather would turn on them. His mistake placed Berk and the Riders in danger from the Outcasts. Luckily, Hiccup and his Riders resolved the problem, reuniting Heather with her captured parents and sending them on their way home with well wishes of safe travels. At the docks, Hiccup and Astrid stood side-by-side. She made sure to deliver a swift punch to his arm. Though Hiccup knew he should be upset by this, he wasn't. Maybe things were returning back to normal.

When the boat carrying Heather and her parents back to their home had disappeared from sight, Hiccup chanced to talk with Astrid. He wanted to apologize and regain the friendship and love that he had lost. "Astrid, I…" Turning to see that she had already walked away, Hiccup stopped and hung his head. How stupid of him to think this would be easy! Astrid was one of the most stubborn Vikings he had ever known. This would be harder than he'd originally thought.

Walking home in silence, Hiccup quietly entered his house and retreated immediately upstairs to take a seat at his desk. Toothless, who had followed just as silently (having sensed that his Rider was upset and did not want to talk about it), immediately took a place on his rock-slab bed, warming it before lying down. Pulling a pencil from a canister on his desk, Hiccup lay his head down and rolled the pencil around on the top of the desk. He always seemed to do this when he was upset. The boy did not even know why. It was just another one of his strange habits…and he definitely had many.

"It was always you…" he spoke, out-loud, softly to himself. "You always were the leader of this short relationship we had together, Astrid." Raising his head from the desk, Hiccup let the pencil roll to a stop. "You initiated every kiss. I was too hesitant. You gave me everything, your trust and your support and I gave nothing in return. I don't deserve someone as amazing as you, Astrid," he continued, saying the words as if she was actually in the room.

A sound from the stairs startled Hiccup and he slipped from his chair, which he had pushed back when he had stopped rolling his pencil across his desk. "Ow…" he moaned in pain. Looking up, Hiccup saw who had made the sound. "Astrid…"

The Viking girl walked the rest of the way up the stairs and toward Hiccup. She offered her hand to help him up and he gratefully accepted. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to startle you." Astrid spoke softly as if hesitant.

"Yeah," Hiccup answered, flexing his back to help get back some feeling. "I'll be fine. So…what're you….doing here?" he asked, curious. Recent events between them had caused him to revert back to his nervous stuttering when speaking with Astrid.

Astrid sighed and Hiccup could see that her words were very hard for her to speak. "I never should have acted out that way, Hiccup. I was frustrated and I just thought that you of all Vikings would see reason. Since that day…I keep replaying that conversation. I miss talking with you…and hanging out with you. I miss having you as my best friend…as my boyfriend. I miss you, Hiccup. I'm …sorry," she finished, speaking out the last word off her tongue as if it was foreign.

Looking down, Hiccup sighed and replied, "No, I should be apologizing to you. I should've acknowledged what you said. You had every right to be suspicious of Heather and it turned out to be right. I mean…everything worked out in the end, but it could've turned out much worse for Berk…and the blame would've been on me for not questioning Heather's motives."

Stepping closer, Astrid smirked and told Hiccup, "Why don't we just say that we were both wrong…to an extent and leave it at that?"

"Sounds alright to me, Milady," Hiccup answered, returning Astrid's smirk. "So…friends?"

"Of course," Astrid told him, her smirk never leaving her face.

"What about…? Are we still…?" Hiccup began, unsure how to phrase his thoughts.

As always, though, Astrid seemed to know what the boy was thinking as she closed the space between them and softly placed a kiss to Hiccup's lips. "Yes," was her simple answer, earning her a small smile, in reply, from Hiccup.

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**I was going to end this chapter with Hiccup saying that he was unworthy of dating Astrid and add the rest as an extra, but I found that to defeat the purpose of the story idea. These are one-shot stories, meaning that they are complete at the end of the chapter and that ending felt so unfinished. Hope that everyone enjoyed!**

**Coming Up Next: "The Third Realization"—"It Was Always You…My Beloved" **

**Posted: July 21, 2014**


	3. My Beloved

**Here we are! The third one-shot/realization of It Was Always You. This may or may not have been inspired partly by my other story Europe Skies (Something Different). However, the latest chapter of Skies was inspired by the last chapter of this story. Wow…confusing. Haha.**

**Only one review to reply to again. I guess no one has anything to say about this story?**

**Review Reply:**

_**lorde (anonymous)**_**: Thanks.**

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It Was Always You  
The Third Realization

It was almost surprising how well Hiccup and Astrid worked as a couple. When they first got together, everyone on Berk started taking bets on how long they would last. Both young Vikings were headstrong and stubborn. Surely, this would prove to be their downfall? That's what all the older Vikings thought, at least. Even Stoick the Vast and the Hofferson parents would joke about the couple; laughing over mead about how "they're still together".

They had been together for over six years now, going on seven, actually. There had been that minor scuffle about four years ago when Heather had come to the island. Other than that, though, Hiccup's and Astrid's love for each other had stood the test of time. The two complemented each other well. She had been there for him during his father's untimely passing and rise to Chiefdom and she could always count on him to support her anytime she needed it.

Hiccup knew that there was no other maiden that he would ever want for his one and only, forever and for always. He was nervous, but every man has to do this sometime in his life, right? _**Was Dad this nervous when he asked Mom? **_Hiccup wondered.

Several nights, Hiccup would return home from his long days of chief duties and retire straight to his desk upstairs where he had spread out all his notes. He knew that he should be sleeping as each day was trying for the new Chief. Though his father had started to prepare him for this position, Stoick's sudden death had prevented Hiccup from learning all there was to know about being Chief…and now the poor young man was certainly feeling the stress of uncertainty. Was he even correct in the way he was leading Berk? Well, he hadn't heard any complaints yet, so that must count for something…right? Despite coming home tired from his long days of "learning on the job", Hiccup still found time to sit alone at his desk and sketch together some plans: how he would ask Astrid, the wedding ceremony—sure, it would be traditional, but he was Hiccup; somehow he'd add his own spin to the age-old traditions of the ritual. It had taken time to plan everything out, but finally Hiccup felt confident that everything was as he wanted.

Unfortunately, that also meant that the easy work was over. Now, he just had to ask her. Hiccup had once asked his mother for advice on "the question" and she had simply told him that if the time was right, asking "that question" would be easy, that Astrid would accept in a heartbeat. In reply, Hiccup had smiled and thanked Valka for her answer, but inside he'd still felt unsure. What if Astrid had doubts? What if she wasn't looking for long-term commitment? What if-? There was only one way to find out.

888

Hiccup had planned an afternoon flight with Astrid that day and he made sure nothing would change that; he refused to cancel this adventure. As mid-day approached and Hiccup's workload lightened, he made his way to the meet-up spot. Over the years (and the many flights they had taken together in those years), Hiccup and Astrid had created their own place in the village where they would come together before mounting up and taking to the skies.

Approaching, Hiccup saw that Astrid and Stormfly were already there. "Huh…easy day at the Academy?" he asked, curious. When Hiccup had accepted his new position as Chief, he had passed the title of Head Dragon Trainer to Astrid as he knew that he would be far too busy to put in the effort that was required of the leader of the Berk Dragon Academy.

"Yeah. I rarely end our sessions early, so they were overjoyed," Astrid replied, laughing at the memory.

"Well, then, you ready to go, Milady?" Hiccup asked, mounting himself up into Toothless's saddle and clicking his prosthetic into place.

Stormfly lowered her body to allow her Rider to climb into her own saddle. Once Astrid was comfortable, she replied, "Yeah. Let's go!"

Clipping his safety rope to the saddle (as Hiccup did not plan to freefall today…and he definitely did not want the winds to sweep him off Toothless's back), Hiccup patted Toothless's neck, the sign that he was ready to take to the skies. Hiccup led the way. Astrid flew at his side, but followed the lead of Hiccup and Toothless when changing directions. They circled around the island a few times and even flew out over the ocean for a while. Finally, when he was satisfied that they had taken an adequate length flight, Hiccup directed Toothless to land in the cove.

Hiccup had intentionally chosen this spot. Not only was it peaceful and secluded, but it was also the place where Hiccup's and Astrid's friendship had begun. The cove was also the location where, almost seven years ago, Hiccup had finally confessed that he loved Astrid. Although, he had not intended for it to happen, he certainly was glad now that it had.

While their dragons drank from the pond, Hiccup and Astrid stood looking out over the still water. Hiccup could sense that Astrid had noticed his nervousness, but right now, he didn't care. _**When is the right time to ask? Will I know?**_ Thoughts raced through Hiccup's mind. _**What if Astrid says no?**_

"Hiccup?" Astrid asked and he could hear the concern in her question.

_**It's now or never.**_ "Astrid…I…well, I have a question for you." Astrid did not interrupt, but she did give Hiccup a small nod to tell him that she was listening. "Well, we've been together now for almost seven years…but you already know that. Anyway…I can't speak for you, but I have enjoyed every moment and wouldn't trade any of them for anything. Along with Toothless, you are my best friend. You've been there for me during the hardest days of my life and you know that I would return the favor anytime you'd ever need me to do so. I always look forward to seeing you each day and I'd give anything to wake up each morning and see you lying next to me. It would brighten even the darkest of days." Stepping closer, Hiccup took Astrid's hands in his as he finished. "I guess …what I'm saying is that…you would do me a great honor if you would be my forever and for always, my one and only. Astrid Hofferson, fierce and fearless shieldmaiden of Berk, will…will you marry me?" he finished, looking deep into her crystal blue eyes and waiting for her answer.

Tears pooled in Astrid's eyes and Hiccup briefly worried that he had been wrong. _**Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Astrid never cries**_, he knew. Still he waited to hear from her.

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III," she began, her voice almost shaky in reply. "Chief of Berk." She was drawing her response out and Hiccup feared that she was doing this purposefully to make him nervous. Finally, she gave her answer. "It would be my honor," she continued, "to accept your proposal of marriage," she finished with a smile.

Astrid slipped one of her hands from Hiccup's grasp and wiped the tears from her eyes, but Hiccup did not mind. He could already feel the wide smile playing on his face and he just knew that it would still be there when they returned to the village. He was overjoyed that Astrid had accepted his proposal and relieved that this "hard part" was finally over. "Astrid," he whispered, moving in to kiss her. "Thank you," he finished in a whisper when the newly-betrothed couple broke for air. That was when he remembered something. "Oh, I have something for you," he told her, reaching deep into his flight suit to the pouch where he normally kept his sketchbook that housed his map of Berk and surrounding areas. He had spent many nights at the forge (even before he had started planning out the proposal setting) to create this fine work of art that he now held out to Astrid.

The shieldmaiden normally did not like feminine objects, but she gasped at the sight of Hiccup's gift shining in the late-day sunlight. "Hiccup, this is beautiful. You made this?"

"Yeah," he replied, running his other hand, the one not holding the handcrafted gold ring, along the back of his neck. "I know that it's really feminine and you probably won't like it, but…"

Placing a finger softly to his lips, Astrid effectively hushed Hiccup. "Hiccup, I love it," she told him, taking the ring from him and sliding it onto her finger.

For a moment, Astrid just stared down at the ring and Hiccup stared at Astrid staring at the ring. He could never have imagined that this moment would be so perfect and, yet, it was. "Astrid, it was always you," he whispered. He saw her confused look, so he continued. "I'd always imagined, well…hoped, really, that you would be the girl who would be my forever and for always, my only love. You're the only Berk maiden I'd ever planned on saying these words to, the only one for whom I'd craft that ring. If not you, I'm certain that I would have lived my entire life alone. It was always you…my Beloved."

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**This one-shot is a lot longer than I expected it would be, but I think it turned out beautifully! I really enjoyed writing this one. I hope that you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

**Coming Up Next: "The Fourth Realization"—"It Was Always You…The Mother of My Heir"**

**Posted: August 2, 2014**


	4. The Mother of My Heir

**Oh..hey there you guys are! I was beginning to think no one was reading this story! I'm glad that you all enjoyed the last story with Hiccup's proposal to Astrid. In this one…well, all I can say is that there is a baby, but I'm sure you already gathered that from the preview. Hope you enjoy!**

**P.S. Minor HTTYD 2 spoilers in this oneshot. Basically, if you know who Valka is and why she is important, then you're good. That's about as far as it will go.**

**Review Replies:**

**_Dragonbow117_: Thanks! When I wrote those lines, I wasn't actually going for humor, but I can see how they would be funny. Haha.**

**_Shangratiger101_: I can say that this one was pretty tough, yeah, but I think it turned out pretty well. Thanks! I'm glad that you like the story.**

**_InfinitiumAce_: Yeah, that's something that I'm going for with this one. No major conflict. Just some simple (or maybe not-so-simple, in some cases) Hiccstrid. Thanks!**

_**Lady-Von-Bielefeld**_**: Thank you and I'm sorry for making you wait a whole month for this one!**

_**Girlyoudon'tknow (anonymous)**_**: More precisely? I'm not certain I know what that means, but I'll try.**

_**UnbreakableWarrior**_**: Thanks!**

_**lorde (anonymous)**_**: As a matter of fact, these stories do follow an order. I know it's surprising, but I like having each of these stories as a set milestone in their relationship.**

_**Hiccstrid4eva**_**: Glad you liked it!**

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It Was Always You  
The Fourth Realization

The ceremony binding Hiccup and Astrid together as one in marriage had gone smoothly with no major catastrophes, surprisingly. Hiccup had expected something to go wrong because that was just his luck, but everything was perfect and he couldn't be happier.

Astrid had adjusted almost instantly to the changes. She had moved into Hiccup's home with her new husband and his mother. Though some wives would not appreciate their husbands' mothers living under their roofs, Astrid was actually glad that Hiccup's mother lived with them. Since returning to Berk, Valka Haddock had opted to live with Hiccup so mother and son could begin to catch up on 20 years of lost time. Over time, Astrid too had come to get to know Valka and the younger woman had come to look up to Hiccup's mother for advice. Astrid had also proved helpful for Valka as she helped to fill in details about Hiccup that his mother had missed out on in her absence.

Valka's advice for both Hiccup and Astrid had proved helpful time and time again, especially during the rocky start of their married life together. Hiccup and Astrid, two of the most headstrong Vikings known to Berk, fought every once and awhile, usually over minor issues that tended to resolve themselves out anyway. Though they had been together for over five years before marriage, new conflicts arose once they were living under the same roof day in and day out.

After a long day of fulfilling his chiefly duties around Berk, Hiccup had returned home on one such night, after he and Astrid had had a minor argument over…Odin knows what; Hiccup had forgotten by that time thanks to being immersed all day overseeing the daily operation of Berk. The house was quiet and Hiccup had been worried that Astrid was still upset. Walking to the table, Hiccup found both ladies there eating dinner…and they had left a plate for him as well. Taking his seat, Hiccup began to eat and waited for either his mother or his wife to say something. Usually one of them would ask about his day, but tonight the typical question did not come.

"You're both quiet tonight," Hiccup chanced. He waited for the pain; if Astrid was indeed still mad at him, even his leather flight suit wouldn't save him from the bruise that would surely form after contact from his wife's fist. Still neither spoke. _**Gods, this is strange. Why aren't they saying anything? Do they hate me or something? They wouldn't both hate me, would they?**_ "Astrid…you aren't still…mad at me…are you?" Hiccup tried again, hoping to get at least some response from his silent wife.

"No, Hiccup, I'm not mad at you anymore," Astrid replied, but her voice sounded flat to Hiccup's ears. This was not the cheery voice he normally heard Astrid speak. Something was definitely up and Hiccup was determined to find out what.

"Okay, Astrid, what's going on?" Hiccup asked, setting down his wooden eating utensils to give his full attention to his wife. "And don't tell me that it's nothing. I know you better than that."

Hiccup waited for Astrid's answer. He saw her exchange a very brief glance with his mother. _**What could that possibly mean**_? He did not have to wait long to find out.

"Hiccup, what I'm going to tell you…it may come as a bit of a…well, a shock, but please don't freak out."

"I won't freak out," Hiccup spoke confidently. "Just please tell me what's going on, Astrid."

"Well…" Astrid began and Hiccup noticed her wringing her hands in nervousness. Astrid never did that! "In several months' time, you will have an heir, Hiccup."

It took Hiccup a moment to process Astrid's words but once he did, the full weight of what she had just told him hit his shoulders, pressing down on him. "Are…Are you sure?" Astrid nodded in response. "Oh…Gods, me…a f-father, I don't think…" Before he could finish, Hiccup's vision went black and he felt a strange sensation of falling.

888

Hiccup blinked away the darkness, slowly at first and then the wooden rafters of the first floor of his house came into view. Pulling himself up to a sitting position, Hiccup tried his best to remember how he had ended up on the floor. "W-What…?"

"Well, you took that better than we expected," his mother laughed as she noticed her son regaining consciousness.

"So much for not freaking out…" Astrid scoffed, but Hiccup could see a playful glint returning in her bright blue eyes. Still, she offered a hand down to Hiccup which he accepted and allowed her to pull him back up to his feet.

"I'm sorry, Astrid. Really, I'm happy with this news, it's just…" he averted his gaze to stare back down to the ground. "I don't know…I guess I'm scared that I won't…"

"Hiccup," Astrid spoke, again gaining her husband's attention. "You said something like this before you became Chief. I remember you telling me that you were scared you wouldn't be a good Chief. Look around Berk and all who live here, Hiccup! The village is better now than in the past. With your help, we rebuilt everything in record time after…well, after you were named Chief. Maybe I'm partial to the thought, but I think you'll end up being one of Berk's best Chiefs ever…and I feel the same could be said for you as a father. Any child would be honored to call you 'Dad', Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III."

"Well…if you're sure, Astrid…" Hiccup knew better than to argue with his wife; he would never win.

"You bet I am."

888

That night, as Hiccup and Astrid readied themselves for bed, the conversation from earlier resurfaced. Hiccup had been especially quiet and Astrid had taken notice. Now that they were alone, she called him out on his silence.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Hiccup? You've been awfully quiet ever since I told you."

Hiccup sighed. "I just…I don't know, Astrid. I didn't want to say this in front of my mother, but...my dad wasn't the best role model for me as I was growing up. I'm sure you remember how it was before everything changed. I'm just afraid that…you know…that—"

"That you will raise your own child the way your father raised you?" Astrid guessed.

In response, Hiccup nodded. He didn't know what else to say, but he did not have to say more. Astrid understood him and that was just one of the many things he loved about her.

Astrid moved closer Hiccup, pressing down on him so that he took a seat on the bed. Kneeling down so that they were eye-to-eye, Astrid told her husband, "Babe, I stand by what I said earlier. You will be the best father ever to our little Viking. I'm sure you'll make mistakes and I will too, but we'll both learn together. I'm sure it was just hard on your father because he had to raise you alone. I promise that will never happen. I will be right here with you every step of the way and you will be right here with me."

Hiccup smiled, relieved at the reminder that he and Astrid would be experiencing childbirth and parenthood together. Astrid, seeing Hiccup's expression change, stood up. "Now get some sleep, Babe. You have another long day ahead of you."

Laying down, Hiccup waited for Astrid to take her place beside him before blowing out the candle. "Astrid, thank you…for everything," he told her as he drifted off to sleep with a smile plainly present on his serene face.

888

The months passed and Hiccup found himself constantly in a whirlwind of emotion. His mother offered advice and information about what Astrid was going through each and every step of the way, but sometimes it still wasn't enough. There were days when Berk's young Chief still second-guessed himself about the contented feeling Astrid had helped him find on the night she revealed the news about Baby Haddock (they had talked about potential names for the baby, but still found it easier to refer to it as Baby Haddock until it entered the world).

With each passing day, Hiccup was always unsure what to expect. Would Astrid be pleasant that day or should he expect a new bruise to form somewhere on his body? Hiccup could never stay upset with Astrid or his unborn child, though, knowing that the mood shifts were perfectly normal. Sure it wasn't pleasant, but it would all be worth it soon enough.

Hiccup's favorite moments were the nights he could come home and sit with Astrid. Over the months, the baby had continued to grow within her and it was evident now as Astrid's stomach showed, larger and more rounded. It was on these nights that Hiccup was most content to rest his ear lightly against Astrid's stomach and feel his child move within her. No feeling in all the nine realms could ever compare to this. Hiccup would enjoy every calm moment…because he knew that life would get much crazier once the baby entered the world.

888

It was one of the coldest nights of a typical Berkian winter when Astrid woke Hiccup in the middle of the night. Fumbling in the dark, Hiccup looked over in the direction of his wife. "Wazza matter?" he slurred, sleep still clouding his mind.

"Babe…we need to go…the baby…"

This snapped Hiccup awake instantly. "The baby is coming? Are you sure?" Astrid did not reply to him, but hearing the urgency in her movements as she pulled herself up from the bed answered his question. In an instant, he sat up and pulled the upper pieces of his leather flight suit armor from under the bed. As he put on the pieces, he told Astrid. "I'll go with you to the healer's. She'll know what to do."

"Just hurry, Hiccup. The pain…and…your mom said that it would get worse. She told me about it…months ago."

"I'll get Toothless. He can fly us there quicker than if we were to walk there."

Hiccup left reluctantly to find Toothless. The Night Fury was asleep when Hiccup found him and the dragon grumbled unhappily about being woken. Once Hiccup explained the situation, though, Toothless readily agreed to help out his beloved rider.

Sitting in the saddle, Hiccup reached down his hand to help Astrid take a seat in front of him. When they were both safely settled aboard, Hiccup patted Toothless's side. "Take us to the healer's hut, Bud—quickly, but gently, okay?"

Toothless obeyed and it was only a matter of minutes before he touched down in front of the healer's home. Hiccup dismounted first, carefully, and then again helped Astrid down. Together, they entered the healer's home (the old village healer was used to Vikings entering her home for emergencies late at night; it didn't happen often, but it did happen enough not to phase her anymore), but the healer quickly ushered Hiccup out once again when she learned the reason for their visit. Before Hiccup could even protest, the old healer had slammed the door shut.

Turning back from the door, Hiccup knew he might as well just wait; the healer wasn't going to let him back inside until the birthing process was complete. This waiting was going to kill him. He just knew it. He paced around the door as he waited for it to open again and welcome him inside. As he paced, Hiccup muttered incoherent mumblings to Toothless. The dragon was slightly worried by Hiccup's behaviors; Toothless had never seen his rider so nervous.

From inside the hut, Hiccup heard Astrid's screams. He could hear nothing else and the pain in his wife's voice tore an ice-cold spike through his heart. This was his fault. He did this. He was the reason Astrid was in pain right now. Running his fingers through his messy hair, Hiccup continued pacing, his nervous muscles clenching with every minute that passed.

Sometime a little while later, Astrid pained screams were broken by the wailing of a newborn Viking. Hiccup knew what that meant. Soon they would let him back inside and he would be able to see his wife again…and get his first glimpse at his son or daughter. A few minutes later, the wailing died down and silence echoed in Hiccup's ears. How much longer would he have to wait? He was growing impatient.

Finally, when Hiccup was just about ready to barge in regardless of welcomed invitation, the door opened and the healer gave him a small nod, signaling that he could now enter. Once inside, the healer led the way to the bedroom where Hiccup saw Astrid sitting upright in bed. She was wearing clean clothing given to her by the healer. In her arms, she held a swaddled bundle. She was staring intently at the baby in her arms and did not notice Hiccup's approach. The scene was so peaceful that Hiccup regretted breaking it, but Astrid must've heard his creaking prosthetic leg because she looked up and gave him a tired smile.

"We have a son, Hiccup," she spoke simply.

_**A son!**_ Hiccup stepped closer to the bedside to look down upon the boy that had just made his grand entrance into the world. Kneeling down beside the bed, Hiccup looked, for the first time, into the eyes of his newborn son. The boy had a tuft of auburn hair matching Hiccup's own, but his eyes were the same ocean-blue as his mother's. Could this boy be any more perfect? Hiccup thought not.

"Would you like to hold him?"

Hiccup froze at his wife's question. What could he say? Of course he wanted to hold his son, but he was nervous. What if he messed up everything? No, he couldn't think that way. Astrid had faith in him. He could do this. In reply to Astrid's question, Hiccup nodded and shifted so that his wife could gently place the swaddled newborn into his waiting arms.

The boy's face scrunched slightly at the jostling movement of being shifted from mother to father and, for a moment, Hiccup feared that his son would start to cry. Luckily for the new father, the little boy relaxed when he was safely tucked into his father's arms. Hiccup couldn't help but to notice how his son's eyes shone with eager interest at this new person who now held him.

Hiccup smiled down upon his son before turning his attention back to Astrid. "He's absolutely perfect, Milady." Silence fell upon the small family as there were no words that could be spoken to describe this moment. Slowly, the newborn baby fell asleep in his father's arms and Hiccup held onto his son, not wanting to chance waking the boy by handing him back to Astrid. As he looked down on his son's sleeping face, Hiccup realized something that he had not thought much about but still knew to be true. "It was always you, Astrid. I always knew…well, I'd always hoped, that is, that you'd be the mother of my heir. Sure, there was a time when I doubted that my father would ever name me as his successor, but, when I became Chief, I just knew that, if not for you, I would've let my bloodline die with me. There's no other girl here in Berk or on any of the surrounding islands, or, even, throughout the nine realms that I would've wanted as the mother for my children."

Looking back up to the bed, Hiccup saw that Astrid had, like their son, recently fallen asleep. She probably hadn't heard what he had just said, but that didn't stop Hiccup from finishing his thoughts. "Thank you again for the personal encouragement. It may not always be easy, but somehow we'll get through this. You and me, Astrid, as one."

* * *

**Well…this one-shot morphed and kinda took on a life of its own. I had not intended for it to be this long! Meh, I didn't really like the ending and it was probably rushed, but if I didn't get this posted now, I'd have to wait until next weekend to do it.**

**Next one-shot in this series it the last! I need to think about what story I want to post up once I get this one all finished. Anyway…let's end this now…it's already long enough.**

**Coming Up Next: "The Fifth Realization"—"It Was Always You…My Eternity"**

**Posted: September 1, 2014**


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